"Hey , Alex is here ! Wow , I must be busy if I couldn't pick this up . Leave a message after this beep . BEEP ~"
"Hi , Alexis Smith ? this is me Elle Copper . Your new roommate for this year .I passed some trains and kind of lost here and I just found the correct route that are near the residence halls. I might be coming late maybe late night- Ah ! the next train is coming"
A blonde hair girl noted herself in the crowd as soon the operator announced .She ended the voice call from her IPhone and keep it inside the pocket of her blue denim jeans. She sustain the load of her luggage with two of her hands as she stepping down the stairs in fast pace.
"Ugh this is heavy" she groaned, fixing her other haversack that about to slip down from hanging onto one side of her shoulder. As soon as her feet touch the landing, she felt something touch her high cut boots from opposite direction. Her cornflower blue eyes gaze on the ground and picked the crumbled paper. She wanted to throw it to the nearest dustbin, however she feels this is no any normal paper by the look of it and has made her curious to know what's inside.
"[HARVARD UNIVERSITY at Cambridge in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. - Matt Buckner, Diploma in Mass Communication (In Journalism).]" she murmured under her breath .
"Why would a person throw such a valuable certificate" She looked around pacing back and forth, trying to find the owner nearby.
"Hmm, it's quite near from my university, maybe I can drop by to Harvard University tomorrow." She unzip her bag and slip nicely inside a file while walking towards the waiting line. The girl took a quick glance to her right as she notice a man , few inches tall than her , wearing Henry Lloyd turi jacket in navy color , lowered his head and muttered something . The neck of the jacket covered his side of his face and she couldn't see properly even she was few feet from each other. The sound of the arriving train distracted her as the wind blows her long wavy hair. Getting ready to pull up her suitcase from the right side, the man trudge on the yellow line, lean towards slowly as the head of the train appeared in medium speed from the dark tunnel.
"Hey! You're too close on the edge!" she alerted to the dark brown haired man as she grabs and pull in his body by his left arm firmly . The man swift his head to face her. The girl paused for a split second as she made her first eye contact to the man. She has never seen such a brilliant electric blue eyes in her life before. She would stare at those eyes in days without any words if she could. With his pale skin, decorated with few scars on his left eye brows, pink lips and little facial hair on his jaw line, any girl would fall for that. Even with that baby face of his.
"I'm sorry" he simply replied to her went inside the train and sat at the empty sit near the door. She was taken back to the real world after he breaks the tension. She blinked her eyes 2 or 3 times and shook her head. She proceeds entering the train and sat down not so far from the door. Even from afar she would still have the interest to have a peek on the mysterious man.
"What are you doing Elle?! Staring at some random guy in the subway" she scold herself, put on her earphone to escape her feeling by the sound of music.
Each and every stops people come and go. I guess that's how life is, isn't? At one station, few minutes are needed for the next ride. A pregnant woman and her young boy entered and were looking around for some place to sit. The blue eyes man woke up from a short nap and aware of the lady. He stood up and gives his seat to her.
"Thank you, dear" the lady expresses her gratitude while he responded with a sincere smile. He would stay another couple of stops till his real destination but decided to stroll in the streets and have some fresh air. A loud chattering sound increases as a group of men with jackets entered the train while he is about to walk out and shove his shoulder. He shot his sharp glare when the leader of the gang snatches the lady's seat.
'Whaccha looking at, kid? Go home! Go home do some homework" one of the member said harshly. "Give the lady her seat unless…"
"You're also pregnant" he mocked, putting his head into his pocket jacket.
"What did you said , punk?! " the group line side by side facing him , as one of the member yank his collar jacket .
Elle was drawn away by argument are happening in front of the open door. Most of the occupant inside the train aware of it as well and some took their smartphones to record the scene.
"Three more minutes before the departure" the operator announced. The man rolled his eyes to his side, acknowledge the door unclose behind him.
"You heard me" He provoked .
"Such a pity this baby face of your going to be damage real soon" The bald member, threatened as he was ready to swing his fist to him
"60, 59, 57…" he mumbled and immediately avoided the fist, tilted his head and grabs the person (who yanked his collar jacket) at the forearm and carried the body outside the train and continue to elbowed the bold man on the chin that had made him repelled .
"50, 49, 47 …" he mumbled again, while taking all of the men at once by avoiding their attacks giving a miss throw to the opponent and kicking them out .
"He's counting" she thought in amazement.
He stall the time until the last 5 second, giving some counter attack. The last person to stand was agitated and hesitated to have a fight with him and showing his white flag.
"and don't ever call me baby face again" he stated, making the last member of the gang stepping out from the train at the time the door shuts .
"I better not call him baby face for now on" Elle warned herself .
"That was amazing, one day I want to be just like you ! " the boy declared with full of excitement .
"Protect your mother, kid, and always be there for her , okay?" he ruffles the boy's curly hair while level himself to the boy's height as the mother gives a warm smile .
"I will!" he confirmed. Everybody cheered and try to give their seats to him but he decline kindly and walk to another cart, and passed by Elle to find some peace .
"It's a shame, I didn't get the chance to know his name" the lady sighed. Suddenly a voice from the crowed was raised and a said " He Matt Buckner,"
"oh, yea, Buckner , the Harvard student , am I right ?"
"True that , you aint wanna get a fight with that guy , he would make you like shit , if you ask meh"
People was agreeing and nodding to the entire rumor their share.
"Wait… Matt Buckner? " Elle finally realized. He's the owner of the certificate she's hold onto. She pulls out her head to track his trail to another cart. Seeing his presence are no longer near, she decided to give him later.
[Harvard] the operator announced the next stop.
"Few people come out from the train and one of it was the man , Matt Buckner , walking out from the under tunnel .Waiting few seconds, Elle exit from the train , struggling holding her baggage as she followed him from behind.
Being his shadow was not easy task for Elle as he always in fast pace and his path was clearly not a save route for a girl to walk alone. The moment he went for a turn to the alley , She sprint and without she notice he was gone .
"Damn it … I lost him again ." she whimpered then suddenly her body froze , as she heard mice squeak, passing by beside her. The mice stopped and looked at her as she look at it for few second before she scream from the top of her long so does the mice .
"I better get out of here." she sighed, examined the condition of the alley.
"Hello there darling, come on, let us buy you some drink, a couple of drunken man, (students maybe?) blocked her way out .
"shit…"she cursed
"uh …. There is no need to do that. If you please, I need to head home" she rejected softly trying to make herself way out.
"That's not nice, pretty face, we're offering a good deal here come on " playing with her green scarf , the men refuse to let her go .
"Leave her be " a familiar voice catches their attention .
"Show you face, you coward" the man challenged.
The man she's been hunting reveals himself from the dark.
"What did you say to me ?"
"oh shit ! man , it's Matt Buckner , let's go man" they pulling themselves out and leave the scene .
"you're following me . Why?" he glared as he approaches her .
"I…. I …."She stuttered, looking up and down for an answer.
"Bloody hell I forget the reason I followed you!" she cried, holding her head with both of her hand in panic.
"what is wrong with you? Don't you know it's dangerous to strolling around in this hour? God know what will happen to you if I weren't here" he scolded, making her lean on the wall. She yet again was astound by her big blue eyes , leaving her mouth slightly open .In a way , their gaze upon each other calm themselves .The moonlight lightens up her skin and sparkled her cornflower blue eyes.
"Wow…she has the beautiful eyes I even seen" He thought in his mind. Her bag from her shoulder slide down to the ground, breaking the silence.
"Yes, I'm aware of that .I'm grateful, I really do. I'm sorry if I have troubled you in any way. I will leave now" she speak softly, lowering her gaze.
"Please forgive my rudeness. I didn't mean to yell at you. I should be the one thanking you . You have saved me" he exclaimed while rush to hold a nearby cab.
"Huh? From who" she asked , pulling her suitcase, to the cab while he carried the haversack to her. He shuts the door for her and answered.
"from myself….I hope this is our goodbye"
He tapped the taxi roof and the taxi drove her away.
Looking back at him from the back of the cab, she murmured something under her lips
"I hope it's not our last"
Elle still in her dreamland while she give a long look on her haversack . before blinking her eyes.
"AH! THE CERTIFICATE! NOW I REMEMBER!"
. He walks in opposite direction and zipped his jacket until the neck from the cold breeze. As the sound engine from the car fades, he took a step back and turned his head to the empty street.